The Journey
"Ding Ding Ding!"
Three beeps rang out in the dim single cabin. Along with the melodic chime, a sweet-voiced female customer service AI announced:
"The 039 vacuum tube train you are aboard is about to arrive at the station. Please pack your belongings and prepare to disembark..."
Blaze, who was resting under a blanket in the cockpit seat, woke up to the announcement and rubbed his sleepy eyes. The AI system automatically adjusted the cabin lights and pushed out a tray containing hot water, paper towels, and other supplies from the snack box.
As the light brightened, Blaze felt a sharp headache. He rubbed his temples vigorously with both hands, trying to ease the discomfort.
These intermittent headaches had plagued Blaze since birth. Despite advanced medical technology capable of exploring the deepest mysteries of the human brain—such as consciousness manipulation, neuron implantation, and memory downloading—no diagnosis was ever found for his condition.
For Blaze, this enigma had long become a part of life. The headaches were rare and usually triggered by strong sensory stimulation or periods of restlessness. Having learned to live with the issue, Blaze had developed his own coping strategies: rest, deep breathing, and mindfulness.
After a brief moment of calm, his headache subsided. Blaze drank a glass of warm water and called softly, "039, hand me my backpack, please."
"Of course, Mr. Blaze," the AI replied. The luggage rack opened, and a mechanical arm retrieved a black backpack, placing it at Blaze's feet.
"Thank you, 039."
"You're welcome, Mr. Blaze. You're the most handsome customer I've ever served. It's my pleasure to assist you."
"Cut the flattery," Blaze replied with a smirk.
---
One minute later, Vacuum Tube Train 039 pulled into the station. A red indicator light illuminated above the cabin door, signaling passengers to remain seated until the airlock system completed its cycle.
A sudden hiss of escaping gas echoed as the cylindrical exit door unsealed, allowing sunlight to stream into the cabin. The main door opened, the stairs extended automatically, and Blaze stepped off the train with his luggage slung over one shoulder.
Vacuum tube trains were a technological marvel, proposed as early as the 1820s but only operational in recent years due to advancements in refining and infrastructure. While still uncommon globally, Pearl City in Asia had successfully implemented this mode of transportation, and Blaze had just traveled from Qingshan Town, 800 kilometers away.
His destination? Carl's Theological Seminary.
This decision had puzzled Blaze immensely. With his academic record, he could have easily gained admission to the prestigious Pearl University. Yet his late father had insisted—almost obsessively—that Blaze enroll at Carl's Theological Seminary.
Blaze had resisted, arguing with his father about wasting his potential on a school with questionable credentials. The seminary, barely 15 years old, lacked any notable academic reputation. Its website looked amateurish, and the teaching staff appeared alarmingly young and inexperienced.
But Blaze's curiosity eventually got the better of him. Both his father and their family AI nanny, Luna, had brought up Carl's Theological Seminary repeatedly before their respective deaths. Something about this place had compelled them.
Reluctantly, Blaze had set aside his aspirations for Pearl University, obtaining a recommendation letter to enroll at Carl's Theological Seminary instead. He was determined to uncover the mystery surrounding his father's last wish.
---
Carrying his black backpack and wearing dark sunglasses, Blaze walked briskly through the crowded corridors of Pearl City Station. In the main hall, massive projection screens displayed a heated talk show debate about AI-human coexistence.
The subject? The infamous case of Luna, the AI nanny accused of murdering Blaze's family.
The tragedy had sparked global discourse on the ethics of AI. Could AI evolve into a new race, with rights equal to humans? Or would their inherent flaws pose a danger to humanity? Experts were divided, but for Blaze, the debate was nothing more than salt on an open wound.
Clenching his fists, he quickened his pace, determined to leave the station.
---
Outside the station, Blaze waited for his taxi, absently watching a scene unfold in a nearby "Virtual Eternal World" store.
A greasy-haired man in his thirties was loudly berating a young AI assistant, slapping the android repeatedly.
"You think I'm poor? Recommending me second-hand goods? Do I look like someone who uses second-hand goods?!" the man bellowed, delivering another slap.
The AI assistant, though visibly damaged, maintained its polite demeanor. "Sir, I assure you, there was no discrimination. I simply recommended items within your financial means—"
"You're mocking me!" the man roared, striking the AI again.
Blaze shook his head in disbelief. "What a brute," he muttered under his breath.
The AI store manager—a human—intervened, demanding payment for damages. The man grudgingly swiped his watch to settle the bill before storming out. Blaze overheard him muttering into his phone about his plans to enroll at Carl's Theological Seminary.
---
Blaze's taxi finally arrived. As he settled into the AI-operated vehicle, he couldn't help but feel a pang of unease. Something about Carl's Theological Seminary—and the people heading there—felt off.
Meanwhile, back at the seminary, an elderly administrator sat in his office, reviewing files. His weathered hands rested on Blaze's admission papers as he murmured to himself, "Can this body of mine truly last long enough to reveal the truth?"